Kerber d. Kasatkina in two sets – I don’t think this is a great match-up for Kerber at all because Kasatkina doesn’t produce a lot of pace and has a lot of variety to disturb her rhythm, but on the lawns it definitely favours the German much more. Kasatkina has made back-to-back Grand Slam quarterfinals but by winning this match she’ll be in uncharted territory. I think Kerber’s grass court credentials and experience will help her to a tight two-set win.

S.Williams d. Giorgi in three sets – If Giorgi plays her best tennis, I do think she can cause a lot of problems for Williams who hasn’t faced a very formidable opponent this fortnight. I’m very interested to find out who’s the more aggressive player in this one and how Serena will react to Giorgi’s power. I think Giorgi will take a set, but Serena’s serve and experience will be a key factor in the big points.

Cibulkova d. Ostapenko in three sets – I’ve been very impressed with both players this fortnight – Cibulkova hasn’t dropped a set yet, whilst Ostapenko has recovered admirably after losing in the first round of the French. Just like Serena-Giorgi, I’m very intrigued who will be the more aggressive player. This should be a very close encounter but I’m going for Cibulkova’s more solid play and positively play to come through.

Goerges d. Bertens in three sets – This should be a very nervy encounter as both players are aiming for their first ever Wimbledon semifinal. Both players have played incredible tennis this fortnight and how it has come on their least favourite surface shows how much effort they have put in. Both have extremely similar games and it’ll likely just come down to who plays the bigger points better. Torn with this…

Kerber d. Osaka in three sets – Very intriguing match because Osaka’s power is brutal on a grass court, but will she be able to hit past one of the best grass court defenders in the world? I haven’t watched any of Osaka’s matches this week, but it seems like she is playing impressively, as compared to Kerber who mostly laboured through her first two rounds. I think Angie will raise her level for this one though as she likes the big stage and also leads the head to head 3-1.

Halep d. Hsieh in three sets – I won’t be surprised if Hsieh creates a lot of problems for Halep – in the latter’s second rounder against Zheng, she had struggled a lot with Zheng’s variety, most notably the slice. Hsieh’s known for her bag of tricks and her flat strokes and slices are well suited for the grass. I think Hsieh could score the upset but nerves will eventually derail her game. Halep to come through in three sets.

Cibulkova d. Mertens in three sets – All these matches are so tough to call… Mertens’ opponents this week are all not at their best on grass and Cibulkova will be a huge step up for the Belgian. This one will likely come down to who plays more aggressively and who is able to move the other around the court constantly. I’ll head with Cibulkova in three tight sets as I’m not convinced about Mertens’ health.

Barty d. Kasatkina in two sets – First time match-up; both players have been playing great this week and have not dropped a set enroute to the third round. Kasatkina though hasn’t faced a really solid player this week and I suspect she’ll come unstuck at Barty’s slices and all-court game.

Ostapenko d. Diatchenko in two sets – Very surprised Diatchenko backed up her Sharapova win so comfortably! This will be an epic grunting match but in truth, Ostapenko should come through comfortably with her experience.

Kontaveit d. Van Uytvanck in two sets – After a career-best win, will Van Uytvanck be able to recover quickly enough to find back her solid level? I’m not sure, and Kontaveit has largely cruised past her first two opponents so far. Her game is dynamite on the grass.

Bencic d. Suarez Navarro in three sets – Suarez Navarro has done a great job to match her seeding on her worst surface. Bencic saved a ton of match points against Riske and should be playing with house money now. I think CSN will struggle to hit through her and Bencic’s liking for grass will come through.

Sasnovich d. Gavrilova in three sets – Presenting to you your hipster match-up of the day! My previous hipster picks both turned out to be epics – will this one too? A little surprised Gavrilova has matched her seeding because she has been a nervous wreck at closing out matches of late. I’d labelled Sasnovich as a grass courter early June and I’m glad the results are coming for her after enduring a tough season after her breakout in Brisbane. This should be a nervy affair as both players will be aiming for their first second week appearance in Wimbledon, but I think Sasnovich will be a tad more solid and win the more important moments.

Day 5 (Bottom Half) – Daily Predictions

S.Williams d. Mladenovic in three sets – I think this could be a fun match if Mladenovic can continue her good form this week. Serena hasn’t found her best tennis this week but if Mladenovic’s too patchy it won’t really matter. Serena should improve her form though from the first two rounds.

V.Williams d. Bertens in two sets – Venus needed three sets to dispatch her first two opponents and that may disrupt her further into the tournament physically, but it’ll give her some confidence heading forward here. Not convinced by Bertens’ game on grass and I think Venus’ power will be brutal.

Strycova d. Goerges in three sets – Strycova leads the head to head 6-5, but this will be their meeting on a grass court. Goerges is into the third round of Wimbledon since 2012 – very surprised she hasn’t done well here because her power will be brutal on the grass. However, I haven’t been convinced by Goerges of late and Strycova’s been so solid and enjoying her time in the UK so far. Should be a fun match.

Keys d. Rodina in two sets – I don’t see an upset unless Keys’ range suddenly disappears. I think she can go really far here after her draw has opened up.

Vekic d. Wickmayer in three sets – Vekic on paper should win this one but I’m expecting a ton of nerves as a win would allow her to reach the second week of a Slam for the first time in her career.

Safarova d. Makarova in two sets – Safarova leads the head to head 4-1, and I was really impressed with the way she played against Aga. Both players have really similar games but Safarova’s a little better at everything, especially the serve which will be a crucial weapon.

Buzarnescu d. Swan in three sets – Interested to know if Buzarnescu will be affected by the home support. Think she’ll feel some fatigue as well so I’m not expected a great performance from her, but she’ll probably come through this one. She has been really good at getting the wins against the players she’s supposed to beat.

Blinkova d. Bertens in three sets – Blinkova has a huge game that should be a good fit for grass. I don’t think Bertens is confident of her game on the surface and with Blinkova’s power, she’ll have little time to get her forehand into play. Definitely an upset alert.

V.Williams d. Dulgheru in two sets – Venus’ serve was up and down in her first rounder but I think she’ll slowly start to settle down. Venus to win comfortably.

Goerges d. Lapko in two sets – I like Lapko a lot but I don’t think she has too many weapons to deal with Goerges’ power.

Strycova d. Tsurenko in three sets– Strycova is definitely more comfortable on grass but I think she’ll find it tough to break down Tsurenko’s defense as the Ukranian’s a pretty big competitor. I think Strycova’s grass court credentials and higher confidence will help her edge through this one.

Vekic d. Peterson in three sets – I suspect Vekic may struggle to back up the win over Stephens but she’s been in really consistent form at the moment and should be able to get the win eventually. Peterson’s a pretty good and solid player and this could be a battle.

Maria d. Mladenovic in three sets– Form suggests Maria as she recorded a sixth straight win over No.5 Svitolina in the first round. Mladenovic’s been super inconsistent but her game should work well on grass and her best definitely can beat Maria. Tough to call but I think Maria will be more solid and her slices will drive Mladenovic crazy in the end.

S.Williams d. Tomova in two sets– Don’t think Serena will struggle too much. Tomova should be overawed with her first appearance on Centre Court.

Siniakova d. Jabeur in three sets – Hipster match of the day as both players have a lot of power but also tons of variety in their games. Both are very similar in recent form, mental state and games, but Siniakova leads the head to head 3-0 and I’m going with her for that reason.

Giorgi d. Brengle in three sets – This one will completely depend on Giorgi’s performance. Brengle leads the head to head 3-0, but Giorgi is even more dangerous on a grass court. She’s been getting quite a lot of wins of late and I expect her to power through this one barely.

Wozniacki d. Makarova in two sets – Don’t see an upset alert. Wozniacki can be vulnerable, but Makarova’s recent form has been disappointing and she trails the head to head 1-7.

Day 2 (Top Half) – SELECTED MATCHES Daily Predictions

Halep d. Nara in two sets – Both players have similar counter-punching games, but Halep is way more powerful and more solid. Nara is sure to feel some nerves on one of the Wimby show courts.

Q.Wang d. Zheng in three sets – Wang Qiang hasn’t played a match since the French Open, while Zheng played three matches in Nottingham and fell in the first round to Frech. Wang leads the head to head 2-1, and I think she can handle Zheng’s variety and moonballs, especially on a fast court where Zheng’s game won’t be too effective.

Arruabarrena d. Bogdan in three sets – I do like both players and I’m fascinated to check out the result. Bogdan hasn’t played a match on grass while Arrubarrena managed to get a win over Suarez Navarro in Mallorca.

Hsieh d. Pavlyuchenkova in two sets – Hsieh’s flat groundstrokes and variety is definitely potent on a grass court and it could get the better of Pavlyuchenkova, who played a couple of messy matches in Birmingham and Eastbourne.

Cibulkova d. Cornet in three sets – Cibulkova leads the head to head 7-3, but this will be their first meeting on a grass court. Cibulkova is more comfortable on the grass and the speed will definitely help out her powerful groundstrokes. Cornet’s form has been shaky of late and I don’t think she has confidence in her game on grass.

Mertens d. Collins in two sets – Mertens has played a lot of matches of late and Collins’ aggressive game can get the better of her, but the American can’t find her range on the grass and definitely doesn’t seem accustomed to the bounce.

Ostapenko d. Dunne in two sets – Ostapenko’s on a three-match losing streak but I don’t see Dunne giving her too many problems.

Flipkens d. Watson in three sets – Flipkens has raised her game for the grass with a final in Mallorca and a title at the ITF 100K event in Southsea. Watson loves playing in front of the home crowd but I think she’ll have issues dealing with the Flipkens slice and being too impatient in rallies. I think this could be a long match.

Gavrilova d. Diyas in three sets – I haven’t seen Diyas on grass before but I feel it could be a good surface for her. Diyas suffered a bad fall in Nottingham but if fully fit, can be a handful for Gavrilova. Gavrilova had a bad loss against Radwanska – she had two match points to convert, but served double faults on both and choked on a set and break advantage in the end. Both players rely on defense and aggressive forehands and could be a very interesting match. Gavrilova’s form has been shaky but I expect her to be a little more solid.

Kvitova d. Sasnovich in two sets – I think Sasnovich is good on grass but isn’t able to play her game when she faces a big hitter. Kvitova for the win.

Muguruza d. Broady in two sets – I don’t this will be very easy for Muguruza? She tends to start slowly in tournaments and Broady has an effective game on grass and will definitely feel some confidence from the home crowd. The defending champion should still come through this one though.

Kontaveit d. Allertova in two sets – I have Kontaveit into the second week here but her form has been shaky since a coach switch, losing in the opening rounds in her two grass court tournaments. I think Kontaveit will win in straights or lose in straights.

Bouchard d. Taylor in three sets – Interesting match as Bouchard notched three good wins in qualifying to make it to the main draw, while Taylor put on a good show and pushed Vekic to the limits in Nottingham. I think Taylor’s nerves coupled with Bouchard’s experience will come through.

Kasatkina d. Fett in two sets – Could be dangerous as Fett hits a huge ball and on paper should be a decent player on grass. Kasatkina’s game obviously doesn’t suit the green stuff but a few wins in Birmingham should be increased the Russian’s confidence.

Kerber d. Zvonareva in two sets – Really excited for this one. Zvonareva came through the qualies and I wonder if she’ll feel some fatigue having played three matches. Even if she doesn’t feel tired, it’ll be really difficult for her to get past Kerber’s defense. I think Kerber is a contender for the Venus Rosewater Dish and first impressions here will be important.

Wozniacki d. Lepchenko in two sets – Lepchenko hasn’t played a match since the French Open and has a 16-29 lifetime record on the surface. I am bewildered how this match is scheduled on Centre Court. Wozniacki for the win.

S.Williams d. Rus in two sets – I don’t see Serena facing too much resistance from Rus – the latter does possess some power, but rarely is able to harness it consistently. Intrigued to see Serena’s level on day 1.

V.Williams d. Larsson in two sets – Venus hasn’t played since exiting the French Open in the first round but I doubt such kind of thing will happen on her favourite surface. Larsson’s game is definitely not suited to the quick speed of the lawns.

Keys d. Tomljanovic in three sets – I think Tomljanovic will put up some fight as she’s been pretty consistent of late and has notched five wins on the grass already. Keys surprisingly opted out of the grass court tune up events and will be coming in with no prior competitive matches on the grass. I think Keys will have a slow start, but find her groundstrokes and range in time to get the win.

Vandeweghe d. Siniakova in three sets – I feel this one will be a really tight affair as both players can do well on grass (especially Vandeweghe), but both tend to go on a mental wander and break into a streak of errors. Apart from ‘s-Hertogenbosch where she usually peaks at, Vandeweghe has had a really bad year in singles, while Siniakova has had a slightly more consistent year. I like Siniakova, but I think in the important moments her brain won’t be there for her.

Ka.Pliskova d. Dart in two sets – Expecting not a lot of problems for Pliskova?

Strycova d. Kuznetsova in two sets – Kuznetsova has not been able to win back-to-back matches since Istanbul and by virtue of defending quarterfinalist points from last year, she will drop out of the top 100 if she loses this match. Strycova has been finding some form on the grass and her good defense and serve and volley skills can be a slow killer on grass.

Azarenka d. Alexandrova in two sets – Actually expecting this to be a tight-two setter as Azarenka’s form has dipped during the clay and grass swings, and Alexandrova’s power should be potent on a grass court. Expecting Azarenka’s experience and mental toughness to eek this one in two tight sets.

Goerges d. Puig in three sets – Puig leads the head to head 5-1, though Goerges won their recent match-up earlier in Auckland this year. Both players have really bad records in Wimbledon (Goerges with 5 wins, Puig 3 wins) but Goerges has found some form of late, while Puig hasn’t played a competitive match since Rome. I think it has the potential to be a scrappy yet epic encounter.

Giorgi d. Sevastova in three sets – Sevastova reached her third Mallorca final last week on grass, yet has not translated her success to Wimbledon, where she has only won one main draw match. This one will depend all on Giorgi – if she can move Sevastova around and overpower her, she’ll win. But it’s not as easy as it sounds like obviously! I expect a long match…

Radwanska d. Ruse in two sets – I’ve seen Ruse play a couple of times and she does possess power, but will need to harness it wisely as she starts playing in the upper tier tournaments. Radwanska should be solid and win this one with her grass court credentials.